From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo, yesterday, called on Nigerian journalists to be bearers of good news that would promote peaceful coexistence and good neighbourliness among Nigerians
Bishop Odetoyinbo, in his Homily at the 56th World Communications Day at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Cathedral, Itesi, Adatan Road, Abeokuta, said they must put the interest of the nation first while discharging their duties.
He lamented the wrong use of the different platforms of communication by Nigerians by spreading falsehood, lies, fake news, and pseudo-truth on various issues, stressing that this has caused more harm and disunity to the peaceful co-existence in the country.
“Indeed, we live in an age of ‘fake news’, a sad reality caused by our inability to be truly concerned about helping, our inability
to be patient enough to listen and know the truth of a story.
“The events of our country in recent times, evident in the incessant and heartless killing of innocent souls, kidnapping, maiming, religious and political tussle, and many more, call us to reevaluate our sense of listening. We have indeed been deaf to one another. We have sacrificed love and concern for one another on the altar of selfishness. We have closed our ears from hearing the truth of our existence, covered our eyes from seeing the plight of those we are called to help, and sealed our mouth from speaking against the evils of our land. All of these are due to the sad truth that we have stopped listening with the ears of our heart.”
“We have killed our ability to be patient and that has resulted in our inability to listen. We have made ourselves incapable of responding to one of the greatest needs of humans: “the boundless desire to be heard”. All of us want to be heard; we all want to pour the burden we carry in our hearts; we want to seek true direction; we want to ask so many existential questions; we just want someone to listen to us.
“It takes one who is patient, reflective, compassionate, and truly interested in the good of others, to give complete listening ear to others. Everytime we listen with the ear of the heart, we create avenues and opportunities, where there is continuous promotion of justice, compassion, fruitfulness, growth, peace-building, religious tolerance, and many other virtues that support our co-existence.
“Nowadays, people want to be the first to spread rumours, sad stories, half-truths, fake news, and all, just to attain some selfish desires. We no longer have the patience to listen to one another. We do not even want to listen to God who invites us into a loving relationship with him.”
He challenge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on all politicians that pay N100 million to purchase nomination forms, probe the types of businesses they do and amount of taxes paid to government. The Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Media Limited and Provost, Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, charged journalists to be professional in discharging their duties.
He called on Catholic Church to do more in sensitising the public on their duties, responsibilities to nation building.
While positing that journalists are handicapped with different government policies militating against free journalism, Adefaye charged media professionals to discharge their duties, guided with social responsibility.
Chairman of the occasion and Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile urged journalists to always verify the authenticity of news before publication, saying that there is always a consequence for any wrong information release to the society either deliberately or innocently.